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 Umberto Rispoli celebrates aboard Journalism after winning the 2026 San Diego Handicap. |
One of the feature races on the first Saturday of the Del Mar summer meet is the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on the main track as the main local prep for the Pacific Classic. Conditions were excellent at the seaside oval with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 70's for the 13,838 fans in attendance. Journalism was sent off as the 1-5 favorite in the short field of 5 (after 2 scratches) off 3rd place finishes in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Metropolitan Handicap (G1) after finishing 4th in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). In to challenge him included 4-1 second choice Mirahmadi, unraced since finishing 2nd in last year's San Diego Handicap, and 14-1 third choice Iron Man Cal off an allowance win at Santa Anita.
 Down the stretch in the San Diego Handicap. |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Journalism Rispoli 2.40 2.10 2.10 3 Shea Brennan Ayuso 5.60 2.60 4 Iron Man Cal Fresu 2.80 Winning Time: 1:42.65 $1 Exacta 5-3 4.60 $2 Quinella 3-5 6.60 $0.50 Trifecta 5-3-4 4.65 $0.10 Superfecta 5-3-4-7 2.09Results Chart |
Left: Journalism in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, "I didn't look like he was totally set behind. Looked like he kicked the doors a time or two. Looked like he had one foot in front of the other. When the doors opened he went to reset and it caused him to drop down. But Umberto did a good job of getting him to recover and his class won out." Owner Aron Wellman added, "When he banged his head against the gate and got left the way he did, we just wanted him to take care of business from there. Rispoli did a great job being poised, and the horse took care of the rest."
Right: Journalism in the post parade. Winning jockey Umberto Rispoli said, "He was leaning forward, then he took a step back just as they popped the gate. He was away a little slow; I think he might have spotted those other horse maybe five or six lengths. But by the time we got to the first turn, I was comfortable. He had picked it up and I knew I had the horse under me. This horse has the class. You've always got to be careful in a race; anything can happen. But he was the best horse by far today. When it came time, he was there."
Left: Second place finisher Shea Brennan walks over to the paddock before the race. The Phil D'Amato trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 3 seconds, and 4 thirds in 12 starts, earning $407,530 for owner-breeder Nick Alexander.
Right: Third place finisher Iron Man Cal in the paddock before the race. The Phil D'Amato trainee improved his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 10 starts, earning $393,125 for owners Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables.
The co-feature race on the first Saturday of the Del Mar summer meet was the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap (G2) for three-year-old fillies going 1 mile on the Jimmy Durante turf course. Allowance winner making her stakes debut Raiding Party was sent off as the 8-5 favorite in the field of 10. In to challenge her included 3-1 second choice Ground Support, 5th in the Tepin Stakes after finishing 3rd in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and 11-2 third choice Inbox off her close 2nd in the Honeymoon Stake
Jockey Julien Leparoux sent 28-1 Cortina d'Amprezzo to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.76 and 46.87 while pressed by 21-1 Light Won Up and stalked by Ground Support. On the far turn Cortina d'Amprezzo tired allowing Light Won Up to inherit the lead through 3/4 in 1:11.21 and 7f in 1:23.27 before weakening in deep stretch. 35-1 longest shot Somerset West, last early under Armando Ayuso, came through on the rail to outfinish Inbox by 1/2 a length in 1:34.76. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to favorite Raiding Party third.
Left: Somerset West in the winner's circle. Winning trainer John Sadler said, "The family is kind of one-run so when I saw her sneaking up the rail I thought, 'this is good'. The family has a little distance limitations, so we liked the mile distance. She's run three or four good races. A little unlucky a couple of times. Really a great ride. You got to give (jockey Armando Ayuso) credit. He saved all the ground and came up the rail."
Right: Somerset West in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Armando Ayuso said, "I had no trouble the whole trip. We saved ground all the way around and she was there for me at the finish. I worked her in the mornings. She's a good filly; she's got some real promise."
Left: Second place finisher Inbox in the paddock. Trainer Phil D'Amato said, "I thought she was going to win in mid-stretch. Joel (Rosario) put her in a good spot."
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Raiding Party in the walking ring. Jockey Ben Curtis said, "It wasn't the race I planned on riding. I had to take a wide trip. She probably was finishing better than anyone."
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